Hindus say that we
can think of God like a person. We cannot think of a person who does not have
a shape, so Hindus give shape to God. But what shape do they give to God?
Lots of different shapes! Hindus are allowed to choose the way they like to
think about God.

It is easier to
think of God with shape than without shape. A lot of Hindus like to think of
God as a father in heaven. But why only as a father? Many Hindus prefer to
think of God as a mother in heaven. Hindus can choose the way they like to
think of God. Here are two of the ways Hindus like to think of God.

One way Hindus

think of God

as a person is:

Krishna

Krishna

Another way Hindus

think of God

as a person is as:

Mother Goddess

Durga

Durga

Even though
there is only one God, Hindus say there are hundreds of ways of thinking
about God. All the different images and pictures in Hindu homes and temples
are different ways Hindus like to think about the same God.

We can think of God without shape

Fire keeps changing shape

Some Hindus
do not like to think of God with shape like a person. They like to think of
God without shape. But how can we think of God without shape? It is not that
hard. We all believe in truth, love, and power. None of these have any shape,
but we still know that they are there.This is how some Hindus like to think of God. Sometimes they use fire
as a symbol of God without shape because fire does not have any one shape.

How can the same God be with and without shape?

Yes, it is possible,
say the Hindus. Think of ice and water. Ice has a shape, but water has none.
But ice and water are really the same thing. In the
same way, Hindus say that God can have a shape, and can also be without
shape. We can think of God in many different ways, but it is still the same God– with or
without shape.

The same thing

can be with and without

a shape like

Ice and Water

Another way Hindus think of God is as our innermost Self.

Hindus say that if
we meditate hard, and search inside ourselves to try and find out who we
truly are; we find God. It is the same God who lives in all of us. Hindus
call our innermost-Self, Atman :God as all of us.

This is why
when Hindus meet

they greet
each other by

putting their
hands together,

bowing down
and saying

Namaste.

This word
means:

‘There is God
in you’

Namaste

Why respect everyone and everything?

If we hurt anyone,
we hurt ourselves, because it is the same God that lives in all of us. We
should respect and love everyone and everything, because it is the same God
who lives in everything and everyone.